Epilogue
by my little black book
Summary: I didn't like DH, so i chose to rewrite the epilogue so it wasn't so fairytale happily ever after.
1. Chapter 1

Well to tell the truth, I didn't like the epilogue of Deathly Hallows. It was all too wrapped up together in a happy ending for my liking. Actually I didn't like much of Deathly Hallows. After growing up with the series, the final book didn't do the series any justice. I could rewrite Deathly Hallows (or not, I can't devote my life to a fanfic I'm sorry readers) but instead I thought I would rewrite the epilogue. Make it juicy and interesting again, not happily ever after sappy shit.

It was over. Gone. Done. The war was won, the fighting at an end. Tom Riddle was dead, and the prophecy fulfilled.

So now what?

That's what everyone seemed to want to know, now the celebrations had died down and normal life resumed – albeit with a distinct lack of the accustomed death threats over their heads.

Like everything in life, it was nice to relax for awhile, to breathe, to be safe again... but where was the excitement in that? There was nothing to live for, no excitement no drama – none of things that kept a person going.

And that was how the Hogwarts year started. Most of the seventh years had come back to study again, since the final battle had coincided with NEWTS, and many had failed rather miserably. The teachers, after recovering from the huge expenditure of magic in the last months, had also returned. Included in this group was Severus Snape and Sirius Black, both having been recovered by the Unmentionables. Well, Snape had actually pulled himself back; his now patented specialised Bezoar slipped into his mouth before Nagini grabbed him.

The Golden Trio (god what a cheesy name) had also returned – Hermione didn't really need to, but felt she hadn't 'performed' to her usual standard. The Weasley family was as supportive as ever, but much less financially burdened since Arthur was promoted to Minister of Magic. The Order of the Phoenix members were celebrated as hero's, the old Ministry disbanded, and the Wizarding World of England was on its way to creating a new peace, and hopefully one that would last.

With the first years sorted and seated, Minerva stood to address the school. A familiar 'hem – hem' quickly caught everyone's attention, followed by a few chuckles as students realised the joke. They quieted again as Minerva began.

"This year and many to follow will attempt to NOT replicate the tragedies of that school year. A fresh new approach will be taken by teaching staff, with the intention of helping you all move past the events of the last war.

New relationships will be encouraged, especially between houses. To encourage this, I am setting up an additional method to gain house points, by creating quality friendships between houses. Professors seeing good inter-house relations will be able to award points to the students of ALL houses involved in the event. Abuse of this new earning manner will not be taken lightly – after all, it is only a house cup. We all have had many more things to worry about than house rivalry in our lives and friendly competition to keep the spirit alive is now our aim. As we all know, complacency breeds contempt, and we are sworn to do everything in our power to ensure history does not repeat itself.

But I digress. This year will be optimistic, to be much more relaxed and fun. Opportunities to act your age will be provided, in the form of two extra socials for the junior students, and 2 extra balls for 5th through 7th years. This will be in addition to the Valentine's Day ball, and the Yule Ball. One will be at Halloween and the other before the Easter break. It is hoped that these extra opportunities to socialise among your peers will again encourage inter-house relations. The usual rules will apply to these events.

Now, as I can see you are all bubbling with need to talk about these developments, I will leave further announcements for later. Have a good year" and with a wave of her hand the plates were full.

The hall erupted into chattering chaos at this point, filling their plates with food and their minds with ideas.

_Oh yes,_ Minerva thought, _this is going to be an interesting year._

A/N: Well what does everyone think? I have only got a few sketchy outlines in my head, so anyone with suggestions should put them forward. Thanks!!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: I AM SO SORRY I IGNORED THIS STORY FOR SO LONG!!!! Hopefully another chapter will cheer everyone up?

Making her way to Potions, Hermione wondered at her feelings. Her thoughts had recently been preoccupied with a certain snarky Potions Master, well consumed might be a better word. And the kind of thoughts people expected her to entertain were definitely not the kind she was associating with her professor.

Hoping that her body would not betray her this lesson, she entered the room, sat at her desk and watched the man of her dreams (literally) billow through the door and to the front of the class.

"Today's potion is _Amortentia._ Anything less than an acceptable potion placed before me will fail. This is, of course, a NEWT's class." He snarled and raised his eyebrows in expectance, and was given a quick scraping of chairs and gales of movement a second later. Smirking inwardly he retreated behind the desk, and played on the pretence of marking.

Yet he watched discreetly the girl, no, woman who inhabited his dreams. Her intelligence drew him like a bee to a flower. Her hair, frizzy with a power to match his own, captivated him with its flow. Her smile... it was like a warm glow that he wished would be turned his way. Yet never would be, knowing his luck.

Pulling out of his fantasy, he rubbed his face in his hands in an attempt to snap out of it. He raised his head, to be met with a pair of soft hazel eyes full of concern and another brief emotion focused on him. Glaring back, he found a need to deter her.

"10 points from Gryffindor Miss Granger, for a lack of caution shown around a dangerous potion. I can see your eyes glazing over as we speak." His words caused an embarrassed flush to rush over her face, and she returned to her potion. Severus sincerely hoped that the look in her eyes was not what he hoped, that it WAS caused by the potion fumes. The expression otherwise would only serve to increase his obsession with her.

Glancing up at the desk, Hermione covered her face with her hair (an advantage of it being so long and unruly) and looked down at her potion. _Stupid body _she thought miserably. _You are supposed to do as I say and help me __**not**__ do stupid things._ She should know better how to not let things shine through her eyes.

Flicking a look towards the clock, she gasped and hurriedly bottled a flask of her potion for her Professor's approval. She was hoping for a single word of praise that would melt her, and cause her to pool on the ground in sated pleasure if he so much as gave her a second thought.

Falling last into line to hand in her potion, she found herself studying the man with a dangerous intensity. Unable to take her eyes from him, she hesitantly came up to the desk, her strong yet questioning strides painfully obvious to him.

Showing him the potion, daring him to take it from her, Severus found the attraction to her overwhelming. He couldn't break eye contact, not willing to give in. She stood her ground, challenging him, yet wavering with uncertainity – it was a forbidden place she was headed, and a line once crossed could not be held to ever again. Her every fibre ached for him. Every neuron screamed at her it was wrong, unattainable, and could not be true. His eyes searched hers. She knew he was off limits, yet still she tempted him. Daring him to give her what they both desired.

The tension between them palpable, she held out her completed assignment. Trying to maintain a professional demeanour, Severus found himself falling into old habits, and saw her eyes begging for him not to. He could not cross that line.

"5 points from Gryffindor for an incomplete assignment Miss Granger." He sneered at her, contempt dripping from his silky voice, making it sound harsher that it should. Her eyes dropped, bottom lip quivered. Placing the potion on his desk, she turned and walked out of the room.

Cursing the day that he learnt how to be nasty, Severus rose from his desk, strode into his quarters and proceeded to throw hexes at a training dummy. Releasing pent up desire and rage at his self, the dummy was reduced to chunks in a matter of minutes. He stopped and repaired it, before spitting forth another tirade of curses. Long into the afternoon this continued, skipping dinner and continuing to vent his frustrations on the dummy. Late in the night, he collapsed onto his armchair, with a nightcap of scotch, and drank away some of the softer thoughts that pervaded his psyche.

She shied away from talk at dinner, citing a need to read this book she could only have for a limited time from the library. She knew they couldn't til he no longer held any authority over her, but a part of her wished to rip _Hogwarts: A History _apart, break the rules and convince him to let her in. Her head bowed, she let a single tear fall, then cursed as it fell onto the book she was reading. Gathering her things, she wearily wound her way through halls to the library, to delve into theories so complex they could distract her from her pain.

And meanwhile life went on...


End file.
